The role of social policies and tracking in the academic resilience of poor children in Turkey

This study aims to analyze the effects of social policies on the academic resilience of poor children and the implications of tracking students into different high schools based on their scores at the national high school entrance examination for the academic resilience of these children. Qualitative research method is utilized, and the data are collected through in depth-interviews. The participants are low-income children (35) of various levels of achievement from different high schools in Ankara, their parents (39), the teachers and school principals (39). The total number of participants is 113. Findings indicate that social policies alleviate the risk situation of low-income children and have positive effects on the academic resilience of these children. However, as the risk level of the children increases, the effect of social policies on the academic resilience reduces. Findings also indicate that tracking all Turkish students into different high schools based on their scores at the national high school entrance examination (TEOG) since 2014 poses new obstacles for the academic resilience of the low achieving-poor children due to some unintended consequences in the school environment. To illustrate, more qualified teachers are unevenly distributed; teachers who work at schools with children of low TEOG scores are demoralized, have low expectations from their students, and come to class with less preparations; national curriculum are unevenly implemented between schools; schools with low TEOG scores have more discipline problems and more drop-outs. There is also a negative peer effect for the students at the schools with low or moderate TEOG scores because these students do not have more successful friends in their schools; accordingly, they lack the chance of helping each other about the lessons and cooperation. Tracking of all high school students has created new barriers for students who have low or moderate TEOG scores in order for them to develop academic resiliency. The continuation of tracking of all high school students might further increase educational inequality.